PC Gaming Numbers Drop Again in Germany to 13.1 Million — A 20% Decline Since 2019

Sure, here’s a re-written version of the article:

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So, here I was, minding my own business, when I stumbled upon some curious figures from Germany. Turns out, PC gaming’s taking a nosedive since 2019. Like, a whole 20% drop. And it got me thinking about how things shift in the gaming world, you know?

There’s this yearly chart, and it lays out video gaming trends in Germany, right? Now, consoles — those clunky boxes with controllers — they’re on the rise. But PC gaming? Not so much. Meanwhile, mobile and tablet gaming are just chilling, holding steady. Who would’ve guessed, right? The source, Game.de, isn’t even PC-focused really. It’s more like the hub for the German games industry, doing its thing by hyping up consoles.

Can we talk about this graph for a second? It’s kind of like watching someone pedal uphill. If you don’t count 2023, consoles are just, boom, blasting off with this 13-degree incline. I mean, I’m not a mathematician, but that’s pretty steep.

Anyway, Game.de says consoles gained 29% traction since 2019. Why? Probably because of the constant tinkering and upgrades from giants like Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo. They keep cranking out these optimized versions — you know, the PlayStation 5 Pro and Nintendo Switch OLED? It’s like they’re saying, “Here, this is what you’re missing!” Oh, and the Switch 2? Yeah, that thing’s gonna sell like hotcakes.

Here’s another fun tidbit: console users in Germany are nearly neck and neck with smartphone gamers — 20.5 million versus 22.9 million. Smartphones had their moment between 2019 and 2020, but now it’s just… meh, plateauing.

Now, PCs. What’s happening? Germany’s PC gaming fell 20% since 2019, with YouGov’s figures showing 13.1 million active PC gamers by 2024. It sounds like a lot until you realize it’s 400,000 fewer than before. Back in 2019, PCs were ruling. Now, the gap’s widened in favor of consoles by over 7 million. Wild, right?

What’s even crazier? Around 19 million gamers there dabble with multiple platforms. It’s like, “Why choose just one?” Commitment issues, maybe?

But why isn’t PC gaming keeping up? Game.de doesn’t really spill much tea on that. They just mention the industry taking a “growth break” in 2024. Gaming sales down 17%, hardware 10%. But hey, online gaming services grew 12%. Silver lining, I guess.

If I had to guess on PC gaming’s slump, I’d point to the boring component scene — yeah, I’m looking at you, GPUs — with not much excitement for those on a budget.

Couldn’t find similar data for the U.S. or global markets. Maybe Game.de has some exclusive sneaky access with YouGov.

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